In many telecommunication systems, communications networks are used to exchange messages among several interacting spatially-separated devices. Networks may be classified according to geographic scope, which could be, for example, a metropolitan area, a local area, or a personal area. Such networks are designated respectively as a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a local area network (LAN), or a personal area network (PAN). Networks also differ according to switching techniques and/or routing techniques used to interconnect various network nodes and devices (e.g., circuit switching vs. packet switching), a type of physical media employed for transmission (e.g., wired vs. wireless), and a set of communication protocols used (e.g., Internet protocol suite, Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), Ethernet, etc.).
Wireless networks are often used when the network elements are mobile and thus have dynamic connectivity needs, or if the network architecture is formed in an ad hoc, rather than fixed, topology. Wireless networks employ intangible physical media in an unguided propagation mode using electromagnetic waves in the radio, microwave, infra-red, optical, etc. frequency bands. Wireless networks advantageously facilitate user mobility and rapid field deployment when compared to fixed wired networks.
As networks proliferate, the types of network elements connected thereto also expands. One type of network element being introduced are machine-to-machine (M2M) elements. An example of a M2M element is a refrigerator having wireless communication capabilities. Because a M2M capable refrigerator or other device may not have a user input to program the device, establishing the M2M device in a wireless network may be problematic. Configuring the M2M device may involve manual intervention and/or a close physical proximity to the M2M device, which are not always practical. For example, some M2M devices (e.g., a refrigerator or a sprinkler) may not include user interfaces for manual interaction. As another example, M2M devices that are relatively small (e.g., compact), may not include multiple radio interfaces to support Wi-Fi communication and another type of communication (e.g., Bluetooth). As a further example, once a particular M2M device is installed, accessing the device (e.g., physically or within a small wireless range) to reconfigure (reprogram) the M2M device may not possible or practical.
Improvements to communication systems to extend the network coverage and allow various communication devices, such as a M2M device, to access the network are desirable.